The RCN, which participated in the setting up of the Radical Independence Campaign in June 2012, has been discussing the possible futures for RIC after September 18th. Bob Goupillot and Allan Armstrong have further developed the idea of Movement and Party, first outlined in the RCN’s special bulletin for the September 25th RIC National Forum. After the battle –…
AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 18th REFERENDUM VOTE – A socialist republican response
In the aftermath of the September 18th Scottish independence referendum, Allan Armstrong (RCN) updates his earlier piece (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2014/09/03/up-to-and-beyond-the-september-18th-independence-referendum-a-socialist-republican-perspective/). A Movement-in-the-making The campaign for Scottish independence has been the largest movement for popular democracy seen in these islands since the Irish War of Independence. In terms of electoral participation it was unprecedented. Voter registration was 97%…
‘THE STORY OF SANDY BELLS: EDINBURGH’S WORLD FAMOUS BAR’ – A review
Allan Armstrong (RCN) writes a review of Gillian Ferguson’s new book, The Story of Sandy Bells: Edinburgh’s World Famous Bar. Sandy Bells on Forrest Road is “Edinburgh’s World Famous Folk Bar”, as the subtitle to Gillian Ferguson’s informative and entertaining new book, The Story of Sandy Bells, tells us. Gillian is not exaggerating. Traditional and…
EMANCIPATION & LIBERATION RIC SPECIAL BULLETIN – September, 2014
Allan Armstrong (RCN) has written the following article for the RCN Radical Independence Campaign Special Bulletin, which will be distributed at the RIC National Forum in Glasgow on September 27th. Nobody could have anticipated the rise of the Radical Independence Campaign, nor the form it would take. It has been moulded by the…
RIC – a Scottish republican movement in the making?
In the aftermath of the referendum, Allan Armstrong examines the potential for the Radical Independence Campaign The campaign for Scottish independence has been the largest movement for popular democracy seen in these islands since the Irish War of Independence. In terms of electoral participation it was unprecedented. Voter registration was 97% and voter turnout was…
Better Together, UKIP, the Orange Order And the UK State – What they have in common
Allan Armstrong (RCN) digs a little deeper into the provocations being mounted by UKIP and the Orange Order on the weekend (12-13th September) before the Scottish independence referendum. This weekend the people of Scotland face the double whammy of Nigel Farage, leader of UKIP and the Orange Order, in their bid to save the Union.…
Up To And Beyond The September 18th Independence Referendum – A Socialist Republican Perspective
Allan Armstrong (RCN) has written an account of the Scottish independence campaign since the SNP launched its official ‘Yes Scotland’ campaign in 2012 up until the last two weeks before the September 18th referendum. This is based on several contributions Allan has already made on this blog. It is also a contemporary update of his…
Proposed Amendments To The RCN’s ‘What We Stand For’
The Republican Communist Network (Scotland) can be considered a ‘work on progress’. The principles upon which we stand can be summed up in our ‘What We Stand For’. However, these are not fixed but are changed through new knowledge gained in the struggles we are engaged in. The last change was made in May 2012…
Emancipation & Liberation – Radical Independence Campaign Special Bulletin, August, 2014
Below can be found the two articles from the third of the RCN’s Radical Independence Campaign Special bulletins. BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER RIC activists across Scotland are doing an amazing job leafleting, canvassing and organising meetings and events to help win a Yes vote. Many of us are aware, though, that irrespective of whether the…
Making Plans For Nigel
Allan Armstrong (RCN) examines the situation Socialists face across these islands in the light of the recent European election and the ongoing Scottish independence referendum campaign. A SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF THE UK AND ‘NEW UNIONISM’ IN THE LIGHT OF THE RISE OF UKIP AND THE FORTHCOMING SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM CONTENTS Introduction…